Imaging systems with angled sensors and related methods

Abstract

Diffraction-based imaging systems are described. Aspects of the technology relate to imaging systems having one or more sensors inclined at angles with respect to a sample plane. In some cases, multiple sensors may be used that are, or are not, inclined at angles. The imaging systems may have no optical lenses and are capable of reconstructing microscopic images of large sample areas from diffraction patterns recorded by the one or more sensors. Some embodiments may reduce mechanical complexity of a diffraction-based imaging system. A diffractive imaging system comprises a light source, a sample support configured to hold a sample along a first plane, and a first sensor comprising a plurality of pixels disposed in a second plane that is tilted at an inclined angle relative to the first plane. The first sensor is arranged to record diffraction images of the light source from the sample.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A diffractive imaging system, comprising:
 a light source; 
 a sample support configured to hold a sample along a first plane; 
 a first sensor comprising a plurality of pixels disposed in a second plane that is tilted at an inclined angle relative to the first plane, wherein the first sensor is arranged to record diffraction images of the light source from the sample; and 
 a mechanism configured to vary a relative lateral position, in a direction that is approximately parallel to the first plane, of the first sensor with respect to the sample support. 
 
     
     
       2. The diffractive imaging system of  claim 1 , wherein the mechanism is configure to vary the relative lateral position of the first sensor relative to the sample support by moving the first sensor along the first direction. 
     
     
       3. The diffractive imaging system of  claim 2 , wherein the mechanism is configured to move the first direction. 
     
     
       4. A diffractive imaging system, comprising:
 a light source; 
 a sample support configured to hold a sample along a first plane; and 
 a first sensor comprising a plurality of pixels disposed in a second plane that is tilted at an inclined angle relative to the first plane, wherein the first sensor is arranged to record diffraction images of the light source from the sample, wherein there are no lenses between the sample support and the first sensor. 
 
     
     
       5. The diffractive imaging system of  claim 1 , further comprising a second sensor comprising a plurality of pixels disposed in a third plane that is tilted at an angle with respect to the first plane, wherein the second sensor is arranged to record diffraction images of the light source from the sample. 
     
     
       6. The diffractive imaging system of  claim 5 , wherein the first sensor and second sensor are configured to move relative to the sample support along a first direction that is approximately parallel to the first plane. 
     
     
       7. The diffractive imaging system of  claim 6 , wherein the first sensor and second sensor are configured to move relative to the sample support along the first direction and record diffraction patterns from a same portion of the sample. 
     
     
       8. The diffractive imaging system of  claim 1 , further comprising a light source driver configured to cause the light source to flash on and off. 
     
     
       9. The diffractive imaging system of  claim 8 , wherein the signal is synchronized with an exposure time for the first sensor. 
     
     
       10. The diffractive imaging system of  claim 1 , further comprising positioning apparatus arranged to move the light source. 
     
     
       11. The diffractive imaging system of  claim 10 , wherein the positioning apparatus comprises an electromagnetic actuator configured to move the light source in a first direction that is approximately parallel to the first plane. 
     
     
       12. The diffractive imaging system of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one rotating mirror that is arranged to change an incident angle of radiation from the light source on the sample. 
     
     
       13. The diffractive imaging system of  claim 12 , wherein the rotating mirror is driven by a galvanometer. 
     
     
       14. The diffractive imaging system of  claim 1 , further comprising an acquisition device comprising at least one processor adapted to:
 partition diffraction image data from the sensor into a plurality of groups corresponding to different sections of the sensor; and 
 determine an image for a same portion of the sample based on first diffraction image data from a first section of the sensor and second diffraction image data from a second section of the sensor different from the first section. 
 
     
     
       15. A diffractive imaging system, comprising:
 a light source; 
 a sample support configured to hold a sample along a first plane; 
 a first sensor comprising a plurality of pixels disposed in a second plane that is tilted at an inclined angle relative to the first plane, wherein the first sensor is arranged to record diffraction images of the light source from the sample; and 
 an acquisition device comprising at least one processor adapted to:
 partition diffraction image data from the sensor into a plurality of groups corresponding to different sections of the sensor; 
 determine an image for a same portion of the sample based on first diffraction image data from a first section of the sensor and second diffraction image data from a second section of the sensor different from the first section; and 
 compensate for the angle when computing an in-focus image for the sample. 
 
 
     
     
       16. A method for imaging a sample on a sample support that is configured to hold the sample along a first plane, comprising:
 illuminating the sample using a light sources; 
 recording a first diffraction pattern of the light source from the sample with a first sensor arranged in a second plane that is tilted at an inclined angle relative to the first plane; 
 varying a relative lateral position, in a direction that is approximately parallel to the first plane, of the first sensor with respect to the sample support; 
 subsequent to varying the lateral position, recording a second diffraction pattern of the light source from the sample with the first sensor; and 
 reconstructing a microscopic image of a portion of the sample using a first portion of the first diffraction pattern that was recorded by a first portion of the sensor and a second portion of the second diffraction pattern that was recorded by a second portion of the sensor different from the first portion of the sensor. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16 , further comprising determining a characteristic of the sample based at least on the microscopic image. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 16 , further comprising modulating the light source on and off in synchronization with a shutter of the sensor. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 rotating a mirror to change a virtual image location of the light source; and 
 recording a second diffraction pattern from the sample with the first sensor. 
 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 19 , further comprising constructing a sub-pixel resolution diffraction image based on the first diffraction pattern and the second diffraction pattern. 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 changing a location of the light source with an electromagnetic actuator; and 
 subsequent to changing the location of the light source, recording a third diffraction pattern from the sample with the first sensor. 
 
     
     
       22. The diffractive imaging system of  claim 15 , wherein there are no lenses between the sample support and the first sensor. 
     
     
       23. The diffractive imaging system of  claim 15 , further comprising a second sensor comprising a plurality of pixels disposed in a third plane that is tilted at an angle with respect to the first plane, wherein the second sensor is arranged to record diffraction images of the light source from the sample.